A gas mask is a mask which is placed over the face to stop the user from breathing in dangerous gasses which may be harmful.

Why Were They Issued
During During World War II (WWII)?

During World War I (WWI)
many soldiers had been badly injured, or killed, when their enemies
had used bombs that released poisonous fumes when they exploded; the
gasses were so powerful that only small amounts needed to be added to
weapons like high explosive shells to have devastating effects.

Mustard gas was the deadliest of all the poisonous chemicals used during
WWI and
some of the gasses were almost odourless and took several hours to take
effect.

Gas Mask Issue:

During WWII Britain was very worried that gas bombs would be dropped
on the country during air raids and injure civilians and soldiers alike;
therefore, the authorities supplied gas masks 'Respirators' within a
cardboard box, with Instructions printed on the inside lid, to everyone
in Britain, including babies and children; by September 1939 some 38
million gas masks had been issued in Britain.

Gas Mask Types:

Different masks were used for different age groups; adults masks were
simply coloured black; babies had a large mask which covered their whole
body and air had to be pumped into the mask with a hand pump.

Children
had brightly coloured masks known as “Mickey Mouse” masks
because they looked like the famous Disney character.

It was thought that bright colours made them less frightening.

Gas Mask 'Respirator'
Instructions:

Ordinary gas masks were made of black rubber, which were very hot and
smelly and made some people feel sick when worn; it was difficult to
breathe when wearing a gas mask; when you breathed in the air was sucked
through the filter to take out the gas; when you breathed out the whole
mask was pushed away from your face to let the air out; each
gas mask had a filter near the mouth, which stopped the harmful gas
from entering the body when you breathed; in most cases the mask would
also cover the whole face in order to protect delicate parts, such as
the eyes.

Notifications:

Posters were issued to remind people to
carry their gas mask at all times; those caught without their gas masks
were fined.

Air raid wardens had masks with long hoses and speaking boxes
which could be attached to their belts.

To warn people that there may be gas
about, air raid wardens would sound a gas rattle.

To let people know that it was all clear air raid wardens would ring
a bell

Children had to take regular gas
drills at school, but they found these drills hard to take seriously,
especially when they discovered that blowing out through the rubber
made 'rude' noises.

Luckily, the gas masks were never needed because gas bombs were
never dropped on Britain during WWII.